The United States and Iran are reviewing proposals aimed at bridging their differences and ending the war, with Qatar continuing diplomatic efforts to bring both sides closer to an agreement.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said on Tuesday that both countries remained committed to the negotiation process and were exchanging proposals through mediators.
“Both parties remain committed to the negotiation process,” al-Ansari told reporters, adding that Qatar was facilitating the real-time exchange of proposals between Washington and Tehran.
He said progress had been made in discussions with both sides and that efforts to narrow their differences were continuing.
Qatar Pushes for Agreement
Al-Ansari said Qatar remained hopeful that negotiations could produce an agreement and create conditions for further diplomatic engagement.
He confirmed that a Qatari team that had travelled to Tehran had returned to Doha, but diplomatic contacts were continuing.
The spokesperson also highlighted intensive regional efforts to prevent further escalation, saying mediators were working to bridge the gaps between the two countries.
Iranian Official Says Deal Remains Distant
Despite the diplomatic activity, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday that an agreement to end the conflict remained far away.
The official said mediators were working to narrow differences between Tehran and Washington after Qatari representatives travelled to Iran on Monday night for discussions on a draft agreement that had been under negotiation for eight days.
The Iranian official warned that Tehran’s conditions would have to be met before the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened.
The official also said nuclear negotiations could begin only after Iran’s conditions were fulfilled, adding that Tehran would not accept what it described as excessive US demands.
US Strikes Iran’s Qeshm Island as Tehran Reports Downing Two More US Drones
Iran Reports Tankers Hit Mines
Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Navy claimed that three oil tankers struck mines and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday.
According to the semi-official Tasnim news agency, the vessels had entered unauthorised shipping lanes while their navigation and identification systems were switched off.
The IRGC Navy said the tankers were left burning off the southern coast of the strait. It also warned other vessels against ignoring Iranian regulations or cooperating with the US military to use unauthorised routes.
The claims could not be independently verified from the information available.
US Carries Out Strikes on Qeshm Island
The diplomatic efforts continued amid renewed military tensions after the United States carried out what its officials described as defensive strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island.
A US official said the strikes targeted surface-to-air missile systems allegedly used against American assets. Another official described the operation as limited, saying it did not indicate a return to major combat operations.
An Iranian official warned that Tehran would respond forcefully to US attacks, both within the region and beyond.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards also claimed that they had shot down a US MQ-9 drone and two Lucas drones near the Strait of Hormuz.
Oil Prices Edge Higher
Oil prices rose by around $1 on Tuesday after reports of the US strikes, reversing some of the previous session’s decline.
Prices had fallen by more than 7% on Monday amid hopes that diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran were making progress.
The developments have kept global energy markets focused on the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route for international oil supplies.
While Qatar’s mediation has raised hopes of a possible diplomatic breakthrough, conflicting positions over the Strait of Hormuz, nuclear negotiations and US military actions continue to complicate efforts to reach a lasting agreement.
